We’ve mentioned it before, having consistent NAP data across a variety of listings is very important. But we put a high importance on Google Local listings, also known as Google+ Business Pages, Google Maps listings, or Google Places.

Why Is Having a Google+ Listing Important?

Search Engine Visibility and Results. This is a no brainer. Google is by far the most popular search engine in not only the United States, but the world. Google will reward you for using it’s products. These listings are free, they look nice, and they have a high potential to boost your organic search traffic. This is reason enough!

Would you rather go to this Wizarding World of Harry Potter?

Or this one?

As you can tell, the second one has a Google+ Local listing. This greatly enhances their search engine results. They have a starred rating from their reviews, they have a link to their Google+ page where they’ve likely posted cool photos and links to their website or blog, and they have the address and phone number clearly on display. This especially comes in handy for their visitors on mobile devices! The first result is what it would look like without a Google+ Local listing. No pretty stars, no links, no address or phone number. This brings us to the next reasons having a Google+ Local listing is important:

Google+ Local is a great place to have reviews. TripAdvisor and Yelp are great, too, but as you can see above, your Google+ reviews show up right on your home page search result. Anyone with a Gmail account can write a Google+ review – no extra signup required.

Your customers can find you easily. Having the correct information displayed in your Google+ Local listing means a customer can call you right away or find you on Google Maps. This is especially helpful for the ever-growing number of mobile users.

Last, but not least: The Carousel. You’ve heard us mention the Google carousel in previous posts. While it’s not exactly predictable, it does show up frequently, especially for lodging related searches. You will not show up in the Google carousel if you do not have a Google+ page, and having lots of reviews and photos helps boost your placement on the carousel. If you try searching for “lodging + [name of city, state]” you will most likely see a carousel. The carousel has changed organic search, and getting your business into the carousel is a priority if the carousel shows up for your search terms.

If you don’t have a Google+ page, we hope you are inspired to get one, and we are happy to help! If you have one, remember to post on it. Google indexes the links you post to your Google+ page immediately, which is a huge benefit to any blogger or website owner.

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